Jen has been working in digital news media since its inception in the 1990s. From 2000 to 2016, she held a variety of leadership positions with MLive, and from 2010 to 2016 served as director of engagement — first for AnnArbor.com, then for MLive Media Group — overseeing the company’s editorial board, social media and reader engagement strategies.

Immediately prior to joining Vanguard, Jen managed the newsroom for The Ann Arbor News, coaching reporters in producing hard-hitting local journalism optimized for multiple digital and social channels.

An award-winning media professional, Jen was named best editorial writer in the top division in the state for 2014 and 2015 by the Michigan Associated Press Media Editors. She has also won awards for news column writing and for community engagement projects, including MLive's innovative "Ballot Bash" series, which opened up editorial board interviews for state candidates to the public, with events and webcasts.

A graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism, Jen is a frequent public speaker, panelist and moderator on topics relating to digital communication, including a 2013 TEDx on anonymous commenting, and many educational talks on social media at conferences.

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